So, like, hey guys, what's up?

[silverthorne]

First they invited the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Now they've invited Eric Clapton.

Is it just me, or does North Korea's sudden friendliness, at least to american musicians, seem..strange?

(And no, not trying to be alarmist, just wondering what the sudden change in attitude is all about. It's possible I've missed something.)

I feel like the RCA dog right about now.

Comments

They also

[aquila-dominus.livejournal.com]

invited CNN to tour the inside of their now gutted nuclear power plant. Interesting changes....

Re: They also

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

Huh.

Trying for a good face?

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

North Korea. Ew. North Korea.

I think they're replacing those people with sleepers. ;)

And EW. North Korea. EW. Like, kidnapping nationals from Japan and South Korea is nasty ugliness and they've been doing that for a long time. I'd be too scared to vacation in Korea. But I shouldn't worry as I'm black and a woman. I don't count for much in the country I was born in or where I live.

But you white people? What the hell. Don't be going there!

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

...I wish I could tell what you were being sarcastic about, although I know you're being sarcastic about something.

I'm just noting that after years of insularity and knowing the histroy between our nations, it seems sudden and odd for them. Just like it would be for us to go in full-bore open-armed. Something changed. I wish I knew what it was.

[skywardprodigal.livejournal.com]

I think they're replacing those people with sleepers. ;)

That was what I was being sarcastic about but nowhere else.

I look at North Korea with a gimlet eye. Those people have been through too much at the hands of a totalitarian, vicious regime. And that thing with kidnapping the nationals of their neighbors scares me. I don't think going there makes much sense even as a visitor. I say this because based on my understanding of food shortages and human rights abuses and that nasty habit the North Koreans had of kidnapping Japanese and South Korean nationals (EW).

Korea may be opening its borders because it has to find a way to better connect itself to the world. Its government can't be at odds with so many different nations and peoples all the time. But, I don't think they're open-armed. I'm sure interaction between foreigners and Koreans are closely monitored and structured. The Koreans who are given access to foreigners are probably well-connected and beholden to their leaders.

Over time, it'll be good for North Koreans if foreigners can put a human face to the name but considering how hard (and controlling) North Korea is with its people, I'm not so sure the government has its people's best interests at heart.

Um. Yeah!

And poc, well people who aren't white, don't usually mean much in terms of hostage situations.

[silverthorne.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That makes it a lot clearer as to what you were getting at.

As for me...

The optimist part of me keeps going 'well, maybe they've learned something'.

The practical part says 'Well, they need to make friends somehow, and this is a good start'.

The rest of me argues in the same way and reasons you do; they're doing it, but it's not for anyone's benefit other than to try and make the higher ups look good.